The Miami Dolphins have a leader on defense, one of those rare players who doesn't speak out a lot, but everyone listens to. And wants a new contract.
Jalen Ramsey wasn't a leader and didn't ask for more money last year, that we know of, but the Dolphins gave him more anyway. Tyreek Hill wanted more money, and the Dolphins gave that to him. When Jonnu Smith wanted more, the Dolphins traded him, but he refused to attend OTAs and minicamps, both voluntary and mandatory.
Zach Sieler showed up. Sieler has shown up to training camp, and he is practicing. When asked about his longevity in the NFL, he said he didn't have many reps in college or early in his NFL career. He believes he hasn't reached his best. That's dangerous to think about. Sieler said he knows the money will come, but the Dolphins need to make it happen.
The problem is that Sieler has no more guarantees, so that is what he is looking for, and he deserves it. Now, the New York Giants may have provided a blueprint to get something done.
Dolphins should take a page from the Giants and reward Zach Sieler
Dolphins general manager Chris Grier can't realistically look in Sieler's eyes and say he doesn't deserve more. The Giants have a player who is very good on the defensive line as well, and he got rewarded on Thursday.
"The Giants have rewarded star DT Dexter Lawrence, adding $3M in incentives to his current deal for 2025. Lawrence is set to make $17M this season, plus the newly negotiated incentives," reports Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Unlike the $17 million Lawrence will get this year, Sieler is set to make $7.3 million in base earnings. He will count $12.4 million in cap room, and his final guaranteed payout this year will be just $2.25 million. Restructuring the defensive tackle would save the Dolphins $5.5 million, which they can use to find cornerback help.
Miami could take the same route the Giants did. Give Sieler additional incentives that won't be applied to the cap until next year. We have said this before and will again until he gets a new deal. If the Dolphins want to change their culture, they need to start rewarding players who truly deserve the money, not the ones who simply need it to justify their name recognition and status within the league.